Slow Travel Berlin

F.S.K.

SLOW TRAVEL BERLINF.S.K., HAU 2, 9pm

Neue Deutsche Welle–or German New Wave–was a genre of music first coined in the late 70s. But for the most part, this musical phenomenon remained within the German borders. Meanwhile, for those growing up outside of Germany, the bands Trio and Nena are likely the closest this music ever came to being internationally known.

Here in Germany, mention NDW and there is a general understanding of what that means among those who were born before Die Wende. And although the movement has all but ended, some NDW performers still exist today: at least two of them, Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft (D.A.F.) and Nina Hagen, already played Berlin this year. Now Freiwillige Selbstkontrolle (F.S.K.), a band that, in the past three decades, has put out nearly a dozen releases on the Hamburg-based Zickzack record label and another dozen or so on various other labels, will play a special show in Berlin.

Over the years, the musical interests of the band have varied, and the group has strayed from its new wave electropunk sound to dabble in country, rock, and even house and techno. What the current incarnation sounds like now is anyone’s best guess, meaning that the group’s appearance will be surprising in more ways than one. Natalye Childress